Stocks to Watch Tomorrow 12/27

If you like watching paint dry then this is your week. Short of a $50 billion private equity buyout announcement before year-end (which could happen), this week looks like a complete waste.

The homies could see some interest tomorrow related to the release of November New Home Sales: Hovnanian Enterprises (NYSE: HOV), Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL), Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM), D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI), Centex (NYSE: CTX), KB Home (NYSE: KBH), MDC Holdings (NYSE: MDC), Ryland Group (NYSE: RYL), Beazer Homes USA (NYSE: BZH), Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH), WCI Communities (NYSE: WCI), Standard Pacific Corp. (NYSE: SPF).

ZI Corp. (Nasdaq: ZICA) is the latest has-news-will-maniuplate micro cap stock, jumping 45% today following Friday’s 87% run-up after the company announced the deployment of Qix by T-Mobile on 25,000 Nokia N70 mobile phones. The stock closed at $0.94 last Thursday – now at $2.52.

Last week’s hot IPO Fuwei Films Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: FFHL) rose another 8% today.

Escala Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ESCL) closed in the plus column today (+3.4%) after seeing some pressure the past few sessions after last week’s massive move on news the company said they weren’t crooks. The stock was much higher earlier in the session. ESCL continues to be a battlegroud for shorts, shorts that want to cover, buyers who want to squeeze the shorts and dilusion long-term buyers.

Telik Inc. (Nasdaq: TELK) was this week’s biotech blow-up du jour. The stock sank 71% today after ugly news across the board on three Phase 3 cancer drug trials. TELK joins the ranks of mess-of-a-biotech company Northfield Laboratories (Nasdaq: NFLD), which still can’t gain any traction after last week’s blood substitute disaster.

After the close, FT.com reported that Bisys Group Inc. (NYSE: BSG) could be considering a management-led buyout.

Stocks to Watch Tomorrow 12/22

Research In Motion Ltd. (Nasdaq: RIMM) is up 5% after-hours following earnings. The street likes the Q4 subscriber addition guidance of 950-975K

Tomorrow Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) with be reporting results and could be one to watch.

On the momentum front, Escala Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ESCL) fell following its monstrous two-day move. Mamma.com (Nasdaq: MAMA) gained another 8.8%. Onstream Media (Nasdaq: ONSM) joined the momentum train with a 48% move today. Like Mamma.com, Onstream is talking up its video search. Apparently no one cares they don't make money.

Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT) has traders in a frenzy after the beaten up software company reported results that beat the street by 2 cents. The CEO said the company is in good shape to hit year-end guidance. Also, next quarters guidance looks solid.

Micron Technology (NYSE: MU) is up 4% after the company beat on the bottom line. Top line was a little light.

Delphi (OTC: DPHIQ) jumped 37% today after Highland Capital, a group we were watching build up its position, proposed a rival $4.37 billion funding bid. Track more 13G's at the site here http://www.streetinsider.com/13Gs

Northfield Laboratories (Nasdaq: NFLD) sunk another 15%. Where will it hit bottom?

International Assets Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: IAAC) got the ax today after results. Down 32.6%. OUCH!

Stocks to Watch Tomorrow 12/21

Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) will be reporting after the close tomorrow. Expect the stock to be volatile before and after the report. Many are expecting a strong quarter due to sales of the new BlackBerry Pearl. Competitor Palm reported yesterday, beating lowered Q2 results, but guiding below for Q3. Many think RIMM is stealing market share from PALM, but there are also a handful of new competitors making similar products which could stymie growth.

Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE: MU) and Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT) are also on deck to report earnings after the close tomorrow and will be ones to watch.

Micro-caps Mamma.com Inc. (Nasdaq: MAMA) (+33.4%) and Escala Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ESCL) (+22%) continue to kill the shorts. Their runs will likely end soon, but they could continue higher in the near term on the squeeze.

SIGA Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: SIGA) jammed 82% higher in the final hours of trading after the company said it was given Orphan Drug for its smallpox drug, SIGA-246. Orphan Drug designation gives SIGA 7 years of marketing exclusivity in the US if the drug becomes the first of its kind to obtain marketing approval from the FDA.

The IPO for Artes Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTE) had a nice day, climbing 27.8% above the $6 pricing. The stock priced at the low end of the $6.00-$8.00 range, but originally was supposed to come to the market at $12-$14. The company markets an aesthetic injectable implant for the correction of facial wrinkles.

Northfield Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLD) sunk 57% today after yesterday's 20% haircut following negative news on PolyHeme, its controversial red blood cell substitute. As old money calls it quits and moves on, some new money may be bottom fishing. This looks like a perfect situation for an activist fund to get involved with. Dan Loeb are you out there?

Sally Beauty Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SBH) was slammed to the tune of 13% today after losing L'Oreal rights. We may see bottom fishing in the name in the near term. Sally Beauty was spun-off from Alberto-Culver Co. (NYSE: ACV) in November.

Stocks to Watch Tomorrow 12/20

Northfield Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLD) was crunched 20% today ahead of an update on the Phase III clinical trial of PolyHeme, its controversial red blood cell substitute. After the close the company said because of discrepancies in the initial data, the database will be unlocked and corrected prior to finalizing the statistical analyses. The company said preliminary results indicate that in the primary modified intent to treat (MITT) population (those who were randomized and received some treatment) the upper limit of the CI exceeded the 7% threshold by 0.3%. However, in the pre-specified per protocol (PP) population (those who both received the correct treatment and did not otherwise violate the protocol), the upper limit of the CI was below the threshold, at 5.8%. We're not sure where this one lands but it will be fun watching tomorrow.

FedEx (NYSE: FDX) is reporting earnings before the open Wednesday. Guidance will be key here, not only for the company but as a gauge for the rest of the economy.

Nike (NYSE: NKE) is reporting after the close Wednesday. Short of a major surprise, the needle will unlikely move much. But again, comments on its outlook could be seen as a gauge for the rest of the economy.

Escala Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ESCL) jumped 92% Tuesday on huge volume after the company said they will restate prior results and basically said they are not crooks. The move was likely partially related to a short squeeze. This company has a lot to do before it can re-gain respect on Wall Street, but traders may try to keep pressing the shorts here.

Syntroleum Corporation (NASDAQ: SYNM) gained 46% today after announcing a Joint Development Agreement with Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, K.S.C. to join in the development of a 50,000 barrel per day Gas-to-Liquids facility in Papua New Guinea. This one seems to be back on the radar, but after the big run we may see some profit taking before moving higher.

Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) met/beat their lowered Q2 results, but guidance was disappointing. Weakness at Palm was pretty well-telegraphed. It's time for the company to put the For Sale sign up.

Today's IPO with the least fanfare, Fuwei Films Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: FFHL), rose 34%. The one with the most, Melco PBL Entertainment (Macau) Limited (Nasdaq: MPEL), rose 13.4%

Tomorrow's proposed IPOs are Solarfun Power Holdings (Nasdaq: SOLF), Dayton Superior Corporation (Nasdaq: DSUP) and Artes Medical (Nasdaq: ARTE).

Look for upcoming bottom fishing in Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE: CC) after today's 16.5% haircut after a terrible quarter and guidance.